share:

OVERVIEW

powered by AFI

Brief Synopsis

Publisher Anthony Mallare is a heartless philanderer and intellectual and is surrounded by a snobbish group of literati who cater to his brilliance but slander him behind his back. When a philosopher named Slazack kills himself after Tony refuses to publish his work, Tony calls the suicide a "foolish effort to call attention to bad writing." Tony then takes a beautiful young poet, Cora Moore, under his wing. They fall in love and she abandons her suitor, Captain Paul Decker, who sees Tony for the Don Juan he is. Paul tries to shoot Tony, but hits only his cigarette case. Tony, unruffled, calls Paul's act an affair of "honor" and refuses to press charges. When Tony and Cora have their fortunes told by a gypsy, the gypsy is cold to Tony, but gives Cora a locket, assuring her she will live a long time. Months later, Tony discards Cora for pianist Maggie, who he says is more shallow and superficial than he is. Cora is heartbroken, and when Tony tells her to grow up, she stops writing and starts drinking. Eventually, she comes to Tony for money to keep Paul, who has become destitute, from prison. Tony refuses her request, calling it "moral blackmail." Cora curses Tony by wishing that he die in a plane crash, and on his way to Bermuda to marry Maggie, he does. Ironically, Maggie's invitation to Tony for a rendezvous in Bermuda was only a joke. None of Tony's social set can find it in their hearts to grieve for him, and Cora laughs when she reads that her death wish came true, deeming it proof that God exists. Tony returns as a ghost because there can be no rest for souls who die unloved. He has been granted one month to find someone who will cry for him. Days pass and Tony searches desperately for Cora, who has found Paul in a shabby boardinghouse and has begged forgiveness for ruining him. With only one day left, Tony sees Cora's locket in a pawn shop and traces her to the boardinghouse, where Paul is planning to kill himself. Tony enters, begs forgiveness, and gives money to Paul, who shoots at Tony but cannot wound him. Tony then prays that God grant Paul and Cora peace. Although Paul shoots himself, the wound is miraculously healed. Cora cries in gratitude to Tony, who asks, "Are those tears for me?"